LAS VEGAS – A slow start and an inability to capitalize on the power play doomed No. 1 seed and second-ranked North Dakota in a 2-1 loss to third-seeded and No. 12/4 Wisconsin Thursday afternoon at T-Mobile Arena in the first NCAA Men’s Frozen Four Semifinal. With the loss, UND concludes the season with a 29-10-1 record, while capturing its seventh Penrose Cup as NCHC regular-season champions.
 
Freshman goaltender Jan Špunar, the NCHC Goaltender of the Year, was excellent again for the Fighting Hawks, allowing two first period goals in a 27-second span, and nothing the rest of the game. He finished with 35 saves, tying his career high, with 16 of those stops coming in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Both goaltenders shined in the first 10 minutes, making multiple stellar saves, including two highlight-reel stops from Špunar.
 
The Badgers broke through with 7:06 left in the first period when Simon Tassy buried a wrister top corner from the right circle after a turnover. It was the first goal UND had allowed in the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin doubled its lead 27 seconds later when Ryan Botterill’s shot from close range snuck past Špunar and trickled into the goal.
 
NoDak was outshot, 18-4, in the opening 20 minutes and trailed 2-0.
 
UND was better in the second stanza, outshooting Wisconsin, 12-7, but UW goalie Daniel Hauser, also a freshman, came up big each time for the Badgers. The Fighting Hawks earned three power plays in the second stanza, including 1:57 of a two-man advantage, but were unable to capitalize. Freshman Ollie Josephson had a breakaway late in the middle period but Hauser stood tall for Wisconsin.
 
Still down 2-0, UND freshman Cole Reschny hit the post midway through the final frame while short-handed. North Dakota then pulled Špunar with a little more than three minutes to play in the game, and it paid off. Senior Ellis Rickwood knocked in a rebound with 52 seconds remaining in regulation to make it a 2-1 game after classmate Dylan James’ initial attempt was denied. It was Rickwood’s ninth goal of the year.
 
North Dakota was unable to find the tying goal in the waning seconds however, and fell, 2-1. Wisconsin outshot UND, 37-22, in the game, with Hauser compiling 21 saves. The Fighting Hawks went 0-for-5 on the power play in the loss.
 
Rickwood’s goal helped NoDak avoid being shut out in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2011 Frozen Four. North Dakota was making its first Frozen Four appearance since 2016 this year.
 
Wisconsin moves on to face NCHC foe Denver in Saturday’s National Championship Game in Las Vegas.